Belt-buckle.



L. L. MALLARD.

BELT BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 17. 1907 Patented Feb. 16; 1909.

X/S x UNITED STATES rA'rENT OFFICE.

LOGAN L. MALLARD, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSlUNOR 'l'O PARAGON SL'SPEh DER 00..

ATLANTA, GEORGIA, A CORPORATION OF GEORGIA.

BELT-BUCKLE.

Application filed December 17, 1907.

Specification of Letters Patent.

and arrangement of the several parts which will be more fully hereinafter s ecified.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a bet and buckle assemblage ofsuch nature that the belt may be readily attached to and disconnected from the buckle to faciltate the use of different colors or styles of bets with the same buckle, and to avoid sewing or the use of other fastening means to seeurethe belt to the buckle and consequently save considerable time and annoyance in re-iably fastening a buckle to a belt or in offectin a release of the said parts.

In t e drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of buckle embodying a part of the features of the invention and shown open. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the buckle shown by Fig. 1 and illustrated as being closed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the be'.t and buckle shown assembled and the securing means for the belt illustrated as open. 1 1g. 4 is a bottom plan view of the buckle and a portion of the elt. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section through the belt and buckle, as shown by Fi 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modi ed form of buckle. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section through the buckle shown by Fig. 6.

Similar characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the view.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the numeral 1 designates a buckle frame which is preferably of rectangular form and provided with an intermediate fulcrum cross bar 2 in which is movably fitted the fulcrum head or member 3 of the tongue 4. The rear extremity of the buckle frame 1 up to the fulcrum cross bar 2 has a closed late 5 fixed thereto and forms with a mova 1e clamping member 6 fulcrumed to the rear end of the frame 1 a securing box or inclosure for the end of the belt 7. The clamping member 6 is also in the main in the form of a closed plate, and adjacent its connection with the rear ends of the frame 1 is provided with an angular securing flang 8, having the free edge 9 serrated or otherwise constructed to firmly engage the belt. The'opposit-eor for ward extremity of the clamping member has an angular locking tongue 10 integrally formed therewith and concaved to spring or snap around the res: portion of the fulcrum cross bar As shown by Fig. 2, the clamping member 6 when closed forms a tight joint with the portion of the buckle with which it cooperates, and when the locking tongue 10 is forced into engagement with the rear portion of the fulcrum cross bar 2, the said clamping member will be prevented from becoming accidentally disengaged. The locking flange 8 of the clamping member 6, when the latter is closed, has a s ight rearward inc ination, as shown by Fig. 2, to insure a reiab e engagement thereof with the portion of the belt inclosed within the rear box-.ike extremity of the buckle.

The buckle shown by Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 is a rigid construction or does not have swinging movement on the end of the belt when applied to the latter. 'l he buckle shown by Figs. 6 and 7, however, illustrates a rear box-like belt securing structure 11, provided with a locking member 12, similar to the member 6, and having knuckles 13 at the forward extremity in which the rear bar 14 of a buckle frame 15 is hinged or movably mounted. and between the knuckles a buckle tongue 16 is also movably disposed to cooperate with the frame 15. The knuckles 13 in this instance constitute a fulcrum cross bar, and the locking member 12 has a con.- caved locking tongue 17 at its front extremity to engage the knuckles 13, the said looking tongue 17 having a central slot 18 to permit the movably attached end of the tongue 16 to clear the central portion of the said tongue 17. The rear extremity of the looking member 12 has a locking flange 18 in all respects similar to the flange 8 heretofore described.

The belt shown b Figs. 3, 4 and 5 has a billet or retaining lbop 19 secured thereto at a suitable distance from the attached end thereof to receive the loose end of said belt after attachment to the buckle. In the form of buckle shown by Figs. 6 and 7 a billet or retaining 100 20 is secured to the rear extremity of the ox-like device 11, the

latter having a cross bar 21 with spurs 22 integrally formed with its opposite side edges and bent upwardly over and driven into the adjacent portion of the said billet or reta-intrated, one showing a rigid structure and the other embodying a movable buckle proper. By thus disclosing the invention, it is intended to be understood that any form of buckle may be used, so ion as the attaching feature, which is similar in oth forms of the buckle shown, is employed.

'Ihis form of buckle attaching means is particularly well adapted for use with a belt aving size markings or indications thereon, in view of the fact that when the end of the belt is inserted and secured in the box-like structure at the rear extremity of the buckle, the size desired can be inore readily obtained with accuracy and without requiring any art of the end of the belt, which is secured in the buckle, to be bent around or doubled over the securing bar oranalogous device. On the contrary the cut end of the belt is abutted close against the rear ortion of the fulcrum cross bar of the buck e adjacent to the rear terminal of the buckle tongue 4 or 16. Any form of belt may be used and diiferent colors or styles of belts may be also attached to a single buckle equipped with the securing means set forth. Furthermore, if a belt after continued use becomes strained or weakened at the extremity engaged by the box-like securing and inclosing means at the rear end of the buckle, it would entail but a simple operation to cut off the said extremity of the belt and cause the buckle to engage the new and stronger portion of the belt.

Many other advantages will appear from time to time to those using the belt and buckle embodying the features of this invention.

Havinfl thus described the invention,

what is claimed, is:

A buckle having a box-like securing means at the rear extremity comprising a flat rigid side immovably secured to the members of the buckle frame and having side flanges and a movable member which closes in parallel relation to said side, the movable member being hinged at its rear extremity to the rear extremity of the said flanges of the fiat rigid side and having projecting means at its hinged and free extremlties that extend inwardly towards the said rigid side, the one projecting means engaging a portion of the buckle to .hold the movable member closed over the flat rigid side, and a belt having one extremity removably inserted in the box-like securing means under the rear hinged ex tremity of the movable member and held flat against the said rigid side by the projecting means at the hinged extremity of the mov- LOGAN L. MALLARD.

Witnesses:

CLAUDE 0. SMITH, W. E. SUTTLEs. 

